If you’ve always wanted to get perfect, bouncy curls, curling tongs are a must-have styling tool. This tool will help you create curls of all sizes, from tighter curls all the way to looser waves. While tongs are essentially easy to use, they can take a bit of practice if you’ve never used them before. It’s also important to curl your hair using products that minimise heat damage. In this mini-guide, we share some top tips on how to use curling tongs for a salon-approved look.

Creating Perfect Curls With Curling Tongs

To get started with your curling tongs, here are some tips to keep in mind.

Choose the right tongs

Tongs come in a few different sizes. Each size will give you a different effect. For larger curls and beachy waves, you would need tongs with a larger barrel. Theghd curve soft curl tong has a 32mm barrel with a spring-activated ergonomic lever. For smaller curls and loose waves, a good pick is theghd curve creative curl wand, which has a 28mm – 23mm tapered barrel. Smaller barrelled tongs will give you a tighter curl, as a general guide.

Start with clean, blow-dried hair

For best results, start with clean hair. This tool will only work on dry hair, so you will need to blow-dry your hair until it is 100% dry before you get started. Use one of our suggestedproducts below and use your dryer on a lower heat setting to avoid over-heating. Once it is dry, give it a good brush or comb to make sure that it is smooth and ready to curl. 

Use the right styling products

Next, you will choose the rightstyling products to give you the type of curls you’re after. Mousse is ideal for tighter longer-lasting curls while curl definition products will work well if you want softer curls. Product is best applied while your hair is still damp. Use a liberal amount on towel-dried hair before you do your blow-dry.